Keralas dying art form Chavittunatakam seeks patronage

Chavittunatakam, a foot stamping dance drama said to have been introduced by Portuguese in Kerala in the 16th century, was popular for a long time. Today, this popular Christian art form of yesteryears is facing a slow death.

By Juhan Samuel

Kochi, Nov.20 : "Chavittunatakam", a foot stamping dance drama said to have been introduced by Portuguese in Kerala in the 16th century, was popular for a long time. Today, this popular Christian art form of yesteryears is facing a slow death.

Stories from the biblical era performed by the stamping of boots on a wooden stage, the lively body movements, songs in a mix of colloquial languages, attractive costumes and headgears of 'Chavittunatakam' made the dance form a big charm.

Sadly, today it has been marked as one of the dying art forms in Kerala.

According to Roy George Kutty, the organiser of Yuva Kerala Kala Samathy in Kochi, he foremost cause for its fading is the high-cost in staging the performances.

"The main difficulty that we face is the expense incurred its stage backdrops, costume materials, instruments. A show fetches us around rupees 13,000 to 15,000, which is only used to meet general needs. There is no savings left with us. It is just our interest in this art form that keeps us moving", said Roy George Kutty.

Each troop comprises of 35 to 40 senior and junior artisans including women. Most of them learn and follow the art from their ancestors.

In the past, the Chavittunatakam was performed on open stages. The players sung their lines loudly with exaggerated gestures, rich dialogues and songs to the accompaniment of beating of country drums.

When the Portuguese missionaries arrived in Kerala, they felt that their efforts suffered from a vacuum in the cultural arena. They needed a medium to spread the myths and the legends among the local community.

"Kathakali", the classical dance form, was the most impressive art form in those days. So, the Portuguese missionaries blended the local dance drama with their own mythological stories. They created a distinctive dance drama of their own, which spoke of the heroic exploits of legendary Christian warriors.

Many attempts to revive this dying classical art have not succeeded and it is rarely performed in the coastal belts of southern States.

Many organizations are now coming forward to save the art form. One of them is the Kerala Catholic Bishop Council - Media Commission based in Kochi, which organizes shows and competitions.

According to the Secretary, Media Commission, KCBC their main aim is to promote the dying art form among local and especially youths in the society.

"What was common man's entertainment centuries ago which now we are trying to revive as a `people's movement' so that everyone could understand its importance in history. The Pastoral Orientation Centre in Kochi conducts yearly competitions and awards the inners to keep the art living among the artisans, said Fr. Devassy K, Secretary Media Commission, Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC).

"Last year, the Centre had five teams which increased to eight and this is a good sign," he added.

ANI